Phillies win shortened game on clutch throw from Nick Castellanos
Final Score (4 1/2 innings): Phillies 5, Nationals 4
In the top of the fifth of Thursday’s game against the Nationals, the Phillies and everyone else who keeps an eye on the forecast knew that a storm was on its way. A delay was coming, but it would help to still have the lead as the game became official.
The Phillies took a 5-2 lead thanks to a three-run home run from Alec Bohm in the bottom of the fourth. All new Phillies starter Noah Syndergaard had to do was battle his way through five innings with the lead.
It’s clear that he didn’t have his best stuff in his first start as a Phillie. He gave up four runs on 11 hits against a weak Nationals lineup, but all that really mattered was that Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto stopped the fifth run from scoring.
Right fielder Josh Palacios hit a fly ball to Castellanos in right. Yadiel Hernandez tagged for home and Castellanos threw a nearly perfect one-hopper to give Realmuto a chance to tag out Hernandez on the line for the final out.
Nobody knew for sure in the moment, but that play was the difference between a Phillies win and a suspended game that resumes at some point during this weekend series. The entire bullpen gets a rest and Syndergaard (technically) notches his first complete game of the season.
Castellanos’ biggest hit of the season came on Wednesday when he hit a go-ahead two-run shot against Collin McHugh in a 3-1 victory over Atlanta. His biggest play came on Thursday and when you think of the residual benefits that come out of the Phillies winning this game, it might be one of the more clutch outfield assists of the season.
It was an anticlimactic ending to what was an excellent night at the ballpark. More than 35,00 fans came out to South Philadelphia in the middle of a heat wave to get in on the Phillies’ push for a playoff spot. Jean Segura returned from the 60-day injured list and Brandon Marsh recorded a hit in his first start with the Phillies.
The St. Louis Cardinals swept the Chicago Cubs in a doubleheader earlier on Thursday. The Phillies, Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers are all tied at 57-48. Philadelphia owns the tiebreaker over teams.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Friday, Aug. 5 vs. Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park
- 7:05 p.m. ET
- TV: Apple TV+
- Radio: Sportsradio 94 WIP
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